Focusing mechanism for cameras.



A. A. RUTTAN & C. E. HUTCHINGS. FOCUSING MECHANISMFFOR CAMERAS.

APPLlfiATIONfILED NOV. 18, I916.

Patented May 29, 1917.

7234 TTOR/VE K 5 UNITED STATES PAilil'rl ii'T GFFICE.

ALFRED A. RU'ITAN AND CHARLES E. HUTCHINGS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK,

ASSIGNOIRS TO EASTMAN KODAK COMFANY,

PORATION or NEW YORK.

FOCUSING MECHANISM FGB CAMERAS.

Application filed November 18, 1916.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, ALrnnn A; ll o'r'rnn and CHARLES E. HUTCI-IINGS, ofRochester, in the countyof Monroe and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and use-' ful Improvements in Focusing lsfechanlsnr forCameras; and we do hereby declare the foll wing to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this application, and to thereferonce-numerals marked thereon.

Gur present invention relates to photography and more particularly tofolding photographic cameras of the type inwhich the front door of thecamera when extended constitutes the bed on which the lens front isadjusted back and forth for focus, and the invention has for its objectto provide a simple, compactand smooth working focu in device applicableto such cameras. The focusing device of our invention contains few partsand is easy to assemble and to these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will behereinafter more fully v described, the novel features being pointed outin the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a folding camera provided with a focusingdevice constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment ofour invention, the camera being shown extended for use and the lenscarriage being in horizontal section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the main bed plate with theleather or other covering removed;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the bed with the cover plate of theextension bed removed;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 1-4: ofFig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the focus adjusting lever.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

Referring first to Fig. 1, 1 indicates the camera body, 2 the main bedhinged thereto and 3 the bracket supports that permit the bed to befolded as a closure for the front of the body and support it in itsoperative Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 191'7.

Serial No. 131,992.

position, all as usual. An extension bed 1, 1* ig. 3-3, provided withguide slots 5 receiving headed guide pins 6 secured in the main bed 2,is slidable to the limited extent indicated on the latter and its edgesare curved upwardly to provide tracks 7 on which the lens carriage 8 isin turn adapted to slide and by which it is supported. The presentinvention has to do with the means for adjusting the extension bed laccurately with respect to the main bed 52, this mechanism beingnormally concealed beneath a cover plate 0 suitably secured on theextension bed.

Approximately centrally of the main hcd plate 2 is prorided a circularbearing opening 10, Fig. extending therethrough from side to side, withwhich communicates a segmental cutaway portion 11. Journaled in thishearing opening is a disk 12 integral with the portion 13 of a focusinglever 11 which swings across the top of the main bed plate 9 andterminates in a finger portion 15 at the side of the bed. The offsetportion 13 is accommodated within the cutaway portion 11 of the main bedand lies in the plane the latter as does the disk 12 so that the levercan swing in a limited arc. Overlying the disk 12 and fixed thereto, asby welding, is another larger disk 16, the margin of which rests uponthe'plate 2 and has a turn'ng bearing against it. A portion of the crcumference of the disk 16 is formed into toothed sector 17 and thewhole disk is received within an elliptical opening 18 in the extensionbed plate 4. It will be seen that the disk 16 holds the disk 12 againstdisengagement from the bearing opening 10 in one direction and bothdisks are held against disengagement in an upward direction by a keeperplate 19 fastened on the extension bed plate 1 and also by the contactof the offset portion 13 of the lever beneath the plate 41. As beforestated, all of this mechanism is concealed by the cover plate 9 whichappears in Fig. 1.

At one side, the margin of the opening 18 is provided with a series ofteeth 20 meshing with the teeth 17 on the disk 16. The lever 14 isresilient and its spring holds it in engagement with the underside of araised scale bracket 21 graduated in focal distances, with whichgraduations an indicator 22 cooperates. As the lever is moved back andforth, it turns on the center provided by the disk 12- in the bearing 10and the toothed disk 16 engaging the rack 20 on the extension bed plate4: slides the latter back and forth correspondingly, the opening 18being designed to give clearance for the disk 16. To fold the camera,the extension bed must be in its extreme retracted position, as shown inFig. 3, and the position of the lever 14 that defines this position ofthe extension bed is maintained by a look ing projection 23 on the leverthat engages within the opening 24 in the bracket 21. During the otheradjustments of the lever, the locking projection 23 simply rides againstthe under face of the bracket. The lever is depressed to unlock it andwhile it is in the act of moving the extension bed plate and thisdownward pressure, if extreme, is taken by a segmental embossed rib 245on the main bed plate 2.

Referring to Fig. 4, the main bed plate 2 is reinforced on its underside by a cover plate 25 which in turn receives the leather covering 26and hence the openings 10 and 11 are concealed and protected.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a focusing device for cameras, the combination with a main bedhaving an opening therein forming a bearing, of a lever journaled in thebearing and having a toothed sector above the same and a finger portionaccessible at the side of the bed and an extension bed guided on themain bed and having an opening receiving the toothed sector on thelever, there being teeth at the margin of the opening meshing with thoseon the sector.

2. In a focusing device for cameras, the combination with a main bedhaving an opening therein forming a bearing, of a lever terminating in adisk journaled in the bearing and having a finger portion accessible atthe side of the bed, a second disk overlying the first to rest on top ofthe bed and comprising a toothed sector, and an extension bed guided onthe main bed and having an opening receiving the toothed disk on thelever, there being teeth at the margin of the opening meshing with thoseof the sector.

8. In a focusing device for cameras, the combination with a main bedhaving an opening therein forming a bearing, of a lever terminating in adisk journaled in the bearing and having a finger portion accessible atthe side of the bed, a second disk overlyingthe first to rest on top ofthe bed and comprising a toothed sector, an extension bed guided on themain bed and having an opening receiving the toothed disk on the lever,there being teeth at the margin of the opening meshing with those of thesector, and a separate keeper plate secured to the extension bed to spanthe toothed disk and hold the under disk Within the bearing in the mainbed.

4. In a focusing device for cameras, the combination with a main bedplate having a circular opening therein forming a bearing and a cutawayportion communicating therewith, of a lever having a finger portionaccessible at one side of the bed and an ofl'set portion arranged in thecutaway portion of the latter and terminating in a disk journaled in thebearing opening, a second and larger disk overlying the first to rest ontop of the bed and comprising a toothed sector, and an extension bedplate guided on the main bed plate and having an opening receiving thetoothed disk on the lever, there being teeth at the margin of theopening meshing with those of the sector on the lever.

ALFRED A. RUTTAN. CHARLES E. HUTCHINGS.

Witnesses LINDA SorIwING,

HELEN M. FRASER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

